The PossessionReview

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A surprisingly funny horror film produced by Sam Raimi.

By Gregg Katzman

When it comes to demonic possession movies, The Exorcist is the king sitting quite comfortably on its genre throne. Ever since it violently vomited all over priests, other films have been trying to take its spot. The Possession is the latest big screen challenger, and I’m here to tell you that this Hebrew haunting doesn’t have what it takes to contend with the classic and won’t disturb your mind for too long – if even at all.

Based on a true story (there’s a spooky box out there, but sadly no accounts of crazy girls spewing moths from their mouths), The Possession follows a family unfortunate enough to stumble upon a box containing an angry demon. Oddly enough, it’s at a yard sale after the previous owner was ragdolled by the evil being. You'd think she would force her relatives to dispose of the box after waking up from that brutal beating. Whatever, I guess they dubbed her as insane, ignored her demands and now it’s up for sale.

Em (Natasha Calis), the youngest girl in the main family, grows unusually infatuated with the box and takes it home. Night after night she becomes closer to the object and as expected, begins to lash out in a supernatural manner. It quickly becomes obvious that little Em is facing something out of the ordinary, so her father, Clyde (Jeffrey Dean Morgan), begins to investigate the origin of the Hebrew box. In an attempt to trap the spiteful old spirit back in the box, Clyde teams-up with an orthodox Jew, Tzadok (Matisyahu…but minus the reggae).

While the first few acts do give us a stronger connection to Clyde’s life surrounding his daughters and ex-wife, there’s a severe lack of tension and some of the scenes are flat-out boring. However, Jeffrey Dean Morgan’s performance helps pick up the slack and makes these scenes far more tolerable. He’s definitely the highlight of the film and brought a fair amount of heart to the role. In spite of some ridiculously terrible moments, you’ll still feel sympathy for the man and root for him.

What’s especially surprising is the amount of comedy laced throughout the film. This ranges from basketball practice with an imaginary ball to a professor lightheartedly informing us about the box’s evil roots. There's a good chunk of legitimate humor in here, but the rest is regrettably formulaic.

While director Ole Bornedal’s horror is unlikely to win over many viewers, it’s certainly not an awful film (here’s looking at you, The Apparition). There are more than a handful of unintentional laughs to be had, though. A little girl giving you a stern stare from the yard isn’t haunting anymore, it’s just awkward. That said, The Possession does manage to deliver a handful of decent scares and legitimately creepy moments that might even give you the chills. Even something as simple as a demon-induced Em bellowing will keep a firm grip on your attention.

If you’re truly craving a horror movie this weekend, The Possession will be your best bet and is worth a viewing. Be warned, though…you’ll probably laugh more than you’ll shriek.